updated 03:45 pm EST, Thu February 25, 2010

Casio announces GzOne Brigade rugged PTT phone

Casio is now spreading word of its G'zOne Brigade rugged handset, which has already been introduced by Verizon, suggesting the device is very near a release. Other than its MIL STD-810F compliance which lets it withstand some knocks, temperature extremes and water submersion, the Brigade also features push-to-talk functionality. It's a CDMA handset that supports EVDO Rev. A networks.

The handset also flips open to reveal a QWERTY keyboard and a 2.9-inch screen with a 480x270 resolution. The external PMOLED screen is just 1.2 inches in size and sports a 128x96 resolution. There is also a 3.2-megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash, video recording, and a document viewer that can read out text, picture and e-mail messages. A microSD memory card slot provides storage space.